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Padres face former Padre Lopez Saturday

Between now and the first day of September, the Padres have 11 more games against the Arizona Diamondbacks, aka the worst team in the National League West.

The Padres can certainly enhance their post-season hopes by making the most of the opportunity.

Only the Giants, with 13 games, play the Diamondbacks more times than the Padres between now and the end of the season. The Rockies have nine games remaining with Arizona while the Dodgers have only six.

The Padres are 5-2 against Arizona this season after Friday night's 12-1 victory over the Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Saturday evening the Padres will be facing a former member of their family in the second game of the three-game series at Petco Park (5:35 p.m., TV: 4 San Diego).

Diamondbacks right-hander Rodrigo Lopez originally signed with the Padres in 1995 out of Tlainepantia, Mexico, and reached the major leagues with the Padres in 2000 (0-3, 8.76 ERA in six starts). He blossomed with the Baltimore Orioles in 2002 after being released by the Padres.